(2021-08-07) Dragonflights and the Battle of Grim Batol

Details

Author:	Alli
Summary:	Book Club meeting to discuss the creation of the dragonflights and the Battle of Grim Batol.
Rating:	T for Teen

Chain: Sil's Book Club

[Sil]: Oh, hey Bran!
Brannagen greets Sil with a hearty hello!
Ben enters and does not bound down the stairs for once, because he's carrying a cask on his shoulder. He is whistling, though.
[Ben]: Hey. I brung ale, like I said.
Brannagen cheers at Ben.
Ben grins at Sil and Bran.
[Sil]: Hi Ben! From Bruuk's? Awesome. Books are always better with ale.
[Brannagen]: How're ye doin, lads!
[Ben]: From Bruuk's, yeah. The good stuff. I'm good, sir, how're you?
Ben places the cask in the corner near the Company kegs.
[Sil]: Yeah, doing great. Uh, I was talking to Ben about the Explorer's League, sir.
Ben smiles at Sil.
[Brannagen]: Oh aye? Am I about tae have me very own team of archaeological minions?
Brannagen laughs.
[Ben]: 'S right, sir. Like I said.
Brannagen cheers!
Ben sketches a wry salute at Bran.
[Sil]: Can I be? I want to be an archaeological minion!
Ismene smiles bigly as she walks down the stairs. "Sil!”
[Brannagen]: Oh, well, hello there, lass. Have we met before? Sorry if so.
[Sil]: Mizzy! It's been ages!
Ben turns to the new arrival and blinks. A couple of times. He smiles a little.
Ismene transfers her smile to Brannagen. "No, but you've been described to me. You must be Brannagen Stillwall. How do you do?"
Ismene curtsies before Brannagen.
[Brannagen]: Excellent! I've just acquired an archaelogical team! *He gestures cheerfully to the two boys.*
[Ismene]: They'll stand you in good stead, I'm sure.
Ismene smiles anew at Ben. Is she a bit pinker than she was? "Hullo, Ben."
[Ben]: Hey, Mizzy.
Ben puts his hands in his pockets.
[Ben]: Like your dress.
[Brannagen]: I don't suppose -yuuuur- interested in archaeology, lass?
Ismene has to laugh. "Me? Archaeology? No, I'm afraid it's never been much of an interest of mine. Besides, I have all I can do keeping up with Cobalt Company's paperwork."
[Brannagen]: Alas!
Ben smiles wryly at Bran.
[Brannagen]: Or rather, lack of a lass. Heh heh.
Ismene giggles.
Ben 's smile widens.
Sil laughs at Brannagen.
[Brannagen]: So I hear we're talkin' -dragons- t'day!
Ben nods solemnly and glances to Sil.
[Brannagen]: Stormbreaker!
[Sil]: Yeah! And I got Jo here to give a demonstration… she said it was too dangerous for me to do alone.
Brannagen holds out his arms for a hug.
[Ben]: Oh, hey, Miz Oranna.
Jo waves from the corner, where she totally is.
[Ben]: Like your shirt.
Brannagen waves at Jo, who is totally there.
Ben totally greeted Miz Jocoza when he came in, too.
Oranna smiles and waves at the group, and gives Bran an extra bright smile. "Hello." She glances down at her shirt, and smiles at Ben. "Thanks, lad."
Ben nods respectfully.
Ismene studies Oranna's shirt, a trifle worried.
Brannagen gives Oranna a hug.
Oranna hugs Bran back, squeezing a little. "Good ta see ye, again, Bran."
Brannagen beams at her. "How's that Wildhammer o' yers?"
Oranna turns more than a little pink, and tucks some hair behind her ears. "He's doin' verra…verra well."
[Brannagen]: I'll jest -bet- he is.
Brannagen winks slyly at Oranna.
[Sil]: I think we're everybody we expected, right?
Ben claps Sil on the shoulder. "Reckon that's all, yeah. You want to wait a minute, in case some people saw the posters, though?"
[Sil]: Yeah we can chat, get everybody some ale.
[Brannagen]: Let's get started! Time's a-wastin'!! *He rubs his hands together eagerly.*
[Sil]: Or that!
Brannagen laughs at Sil.
[Sil]: Ale's over here, not the usual one. Ben brought good stuff.
[Ismene]: Hey!
Ben nods gravely and rocks on his heels. He flashes Mizzy a rueful smile.
[Brannagen]: Point me tae the good stuff.
[Ben]: Cask here, sir.
Ben nudges the proper one with his boot.
[Ismene]: The 'usual one' keeps all you heavy drinkers from tearing the place up on a weekly basis, I'll have you know.
Sil looks guiltily at Mizzy. "I mean, stuff good for parties. And book clubs. Wouldn't want to use the usual stock all up."
Brannagen pulls a mug from his backpack and fills it.
Oranna smiles, and holds up her water flask in a salute. She smiles over at Mizzy, and chuckles a little.
Ismene sighs. "Well, now that the secret's out, I can see I'll have to find some even more sneaky way to keep you lot from overindulging."
Sil helps himself to a mug of ale.
[Sil]: Alright, about time we can get started!!
Brannagen has a drink. "Ahhhhhh, that's the good stuff, aye."
[Ben]: Aw, who's a heavy drinker?
Ben politely does not get himself any ale. Yet.
Oranna chuckles again at Ben, and she smiles fondly at the memory of a particular heavy drinker.
Ismene says loftily, "I shouldn't like to disparage anyone by name. They know who they are."
Ben grins crookedly at Ismene.
Ismene grins back.
Sil has cleared the food off the table, but the only little cloth tent today is the one labeled 'Grim Batol'. It seems to be sitting on some kind of slick-looking tarp.
There's a glint of machinery from behind the table, as well, where Jo Sparkwire stands and nods at him approvingly.
Brannagen does his usual trick of constantly changing positions around the table as though he just hasn't found the best vantage point yet but is sure he will.
Ismene looks around. "Where do we sit?"
[Sil]: Umm… we can sit 'round the table, if you like. Till the fire part.
[Sil]: Or over by the globe, till the props come into play.
Ben brightens at mention of the fire part.
Ismene takes a seat. "Fire part… Oh dear." She checks the pouches at her waist for healing herbs.
[Sil]: So, today I wanted to talk about the "Charge of the Dragonflights" and "The Battle of Grim Batol".
Brannagen cheers at Sil!
[Brannagen]: All right if I stand? I'm too excited tae sit.
Oranna looks Sil at the mention of the Fire Part, and takes a careful step back with a smile. "I'm fine with standin'. Like ta be mobile, if there's goin' ta be risk ta th' brows."
Ben just stands by a chair.
[Sil]: Okay, so, right, dragons.
[Sil]: The battle is not super detailed, so I thought probably we could learn about dragons first. I can introduce the topics, like last time, and we can discuss?
Brannagen nods at Sil.
Brannagen gently pats Oranna.
[Sil]: The dragonflights book starts all the way back with Titans, like some of the Company was learnin' about in Uldaman.
Sil looks at Oranna and smiles cheerfully, unaware of any possible bad feelings there.
Oranna giggles a little and pats Bran right back, looking at Sil.
Ben nods, intent on Sil. He's got one hand on the back of the chair beside him, the other still in his pocket.
[Sil]: Back when Azeroth was made, I guess they made like the earthen and dwarves and stuff, and then they were gonna leave.
[Sil]: But they wanted somebody to keep an eye on things, while they were off doing titany things elsewhere. So they looked 'round Azeroth, and they figured dragons were gonna be their best bet.
Oranna 's face tightens at the mention of the Earthen and she flinches back slightly.
[Sil]: There were lots of 'dragonflights', but the titans picked five of 'em to do specific things. They gave the leaders of each some of their power, and they called them the Dragon Aspects.
[Sil]: Now, before we get into it, we got an example of a dragon, courtesy of Jo Sparkwire. Jo, I'll leave it to you to demonstrate the dragon!
Brannagen peers at Oranna searchingly.
Ben turns expectantly to Jocoza.
Oranna looks over at Bran, her lips pressed so tightly they've gone a little white, but shakes her head and forces a smile.
Brannagen gently pats Oranna.
[Jocoza]: Right, so. It came out a little more aggressive than I'd planned. I didn't think it'd be a good idea to operate unsupervised.
[Jocoza]: Enjoy… the dragon!
Brannagen gasps at Mechanical Dragonling.
Oranna gasps in delight, and claps.
[Ben]: -Damn-!
Ismene blinks and leans back.
Brannagen cheers at Mechanical Dragonling!
Oranna cheers at Mechanical Dragonling!
Ben looks awed.
[Jocoza]: Just don't make any sudden moves, and all will be well!
[Oranna]: Ach, Jo, tha's amazin'!
[Brannagen]: BRELLIANT!
Jocoza smiles fondly at her dragonling.
[Ben]: You don- made that, Miz Jocoza?
Ben stares round-eyed with delight at the dragonling.
Ismene whispers, "Wow…"
[Jocoza]: Yep. It's been a project a long time coming. Since I saw those little dragons over in Redridge.
[Brannagen]: Does it breathe FIRE?
[Jocoza]: It does!
[Brannagen]: What keeps it in the air???
Ben whistles.
Oranna makes a terrible sad sound as the mechanical dragonling DIES RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER.
[Jocoza]: Oh it's just the wings, really, didn't need any magic.
[Brannagen]: Oh aye? Must be lighter'n it looks!
[Ismene]: How much to make one for me? If I promise not to let it set anything on fire.
Ben glances at Ismene and raises his eyebrows. He looks even more delighted.
[Oranna]: Oh, tha' was so sad. It's a wonderful thing, Jo.
[Jocoza]: If you can train up on how to use it safely, I can make them pretty easy now. I've got the schematic.
Ismene 's eyes shine and she repeats, "Wow…"
Jocoza smiles at Oranna. "Oh, it's not a real creature, Oranna. It's not actually dead."
[Ben]: Mizzy an' a dragon.
Ben grins at Ismene.
[Jocoza]: I just need to charge it back up, and it'll be good to go again.
Ismene grins back at Ben. "Don't slay that one for me. Find another one."
Ben touches his forehead in a mock-solemn salute to Ismene.
Oranna chuckles a little self-consciously. "Oh, aye, I know it's no' dead, but, shame tha' it loses power so quickly. Somethin' like tha' migh' be good fer Bargrimm ta get it out o' mind ta train one o' those bugs."
[Ben]: What you charge it on, Miz Jocoza?
[Ben]: To make it go.
[Jocoza]: It's kinda hard to explain the basics, but um… its got like a battery. A thing that stores energy.
Ben nods gravely.
Brannagen shifts position again. As he does.
[Jocoza]: I'm going to keep working on making it better, stronger, but this is what I've got for now. Let me know if it's useful for Bargrimm, Oranna.
[Ben]: Hell of a thing, ma'am.
[Ben]: Heck. Heck of a thing.
Jocoza grins widely at Ben, and everyone.
Oranna nods. "It'll be a good thing ta keep him busy tinkerin' with. If ye ha' th' schematic, I'll probably ha' him stop by sometime ta talk shop on it."
[Jocoza]: Sure! I'd be happy to!
[Jocoza]: Okay, I'd better hand the reins back over to Sil.
Oranna looks back at Sil with a broad smile, the Titans and Earthen at least momentarily forgotten.
Ben turns back expectantly to Sil.
[Sil]: Right, so, there you have it! *Sil gestures happily to Jo*
[Brannagen]: Hell of a dragon, tha'.
Sil beams at Bran, as if he'd made it himself.
[Sil]: So now, we can get into the dragonflights! The five important ones.
[Sil]: First one is the bronze dragonflight, led by Nozdormu.
[Sil]: The titan who liked that one was Aman'Thul, who was all about time, fate and destiny. So Nozdormu and the bronzes are like time dragons.
Ben nods.
[Sil]: I don't really know if that means they can travel in time, or if they just like… see into the past and the future? If we ever run into a bronze dragon, we can ask. I never saw them anywhere we went before.
Ismene blinks, a delighted smile crossing her lips, but she doesn't ask questions yet.
[Brannagen]: Bronze are me -favorite- dragonflight. They can -absolutely- travel in time.
[Ben]: That's the one I ain- don't get either. They -can-?
[Sil]: Oh really? That's awesome!
[Brannagen]: I mean, I en't seen it -personally-. But aye.
Ben whistles again.
[Sil]: I think they're like… friendly? We never fought 'em, right?
Oranna raises her brows at time traveling dragons, but nods gamely.
[Sil]: How would you even fight something that can travel in time, anyway? They'd just be like 'Oops, I lost, reset and try again'.
Ben says something under his breath about readin' more. He looks impressed.
[Sil]: Next was the red dragons, which, you know, we had some problems with. Back then, though, they were dragons charged to safeguard all living things, with compassion.
Brannagen nods sadly.
Oranna sighs, and nods.
[Sil]: Their leader was Alexstrasza, and she got blessed by Eonar, the patron of life. Remember Alexstrasza, cause she comes up again later. It's real sad.
Brannagen sighs at Sil.
Brannagen shakes his head solemnly.
[Sil]: Anyway, Eonar liked dragons a -lot-, I guess, cause she blessed another one, too. The green dragons, which are all about nature. Their leader was Ysera, and she's in the Emerald Dream. That's like a night elf druid thing - I looked it up.
Oranna looks up at that, and says solemnly, "An' there's no cheese in th' Emerald Dream. I've asked."
Ben blinks at Oranna.
Sil blinks at Oranna. "Why not? Is it a nightmare?"
Ben smiles at Sil.
[Oranna]: But I wouldna be surprised ta hear there's dragons there, from wha' Galadhel says o' it. But, fer some reason, no cheese. Jus' ne'er seen tha' in there, he says.
[Ben]: Well, maybe it's big enough he just ain't seen it yet. I ain't seen a proper big dragon out here but they exist.
[Sil]: Oh cool! So I couldn't find much on the green dragons, I bet Galadhel would know more then.
[Oranna]: Oh, aye. If yer curious about it, he's a good one ta ask on it.
[Sil]: Yeah, I only saw the little ones, like same size as Jo's.
[Brannagen]: Cheese, glorious as et es, en't from nature.
Sil frowns at Bran. "From milk and stuff, right? Cows aren't nature?"
Ben looks narrowly at Bran like he has an aunt who might dispute that. But Ben does not, personally.
[Brannagen]: Milk is. But nae cheese! People do that bit.
Sil shrugs, a little confused by the distinction but willing to accept it.
Ismene says quietly, almost timidly, "There's a dragon on Darkshire, sometimes."
Ben turns to Ismene and blinks.
Oranna looks over at Mizzy. "Oh, aye?"
[Ben]: What?
[Sil]: Really?
[Ben]: Sil and I ain't seen -that-.
Ben glances at Sil wide-eyed.
[Sil]: Yeah, I didn't see no dragons, when we were there.
Ismene blinks at all the attention, but gamely she nods. "It's in the hills. There's Night Elf ruins and a big stone circle and sometimes there's a dragon there."
[Sil]: Oh wow. What color?
[Ben]: Oh shi-oot. We got to go there, Sil.
[Sil]: Yeah, we gotta check that out.
Ismene laughs. "I don't even remember! I ran. Red, I think."
Ben looks back to Ismene admiringly.
[Brannagen]: If it's near the Night Elf ruins there… bet it's green.
Oranna makes a hmmm sound. "I wonder if tha's wha' Galadhel was doin' there in Duskwood."
[Ismene]: I can show you, if you'd like.
[Brannagen]: I er… I would avoid it.
Sil smiles at Ismene brightly. "Must be one of the compassionate, life-protecting reds?"
[Brannagen]: Or at least keep yer distance.
[Sil]: Or the other sort?
[Ismene]: I didn't get close enough to test out any theories about its temperament.
[Ben]: Not even just to see it, sir? I -would- like if Mizzy'd show us.
[Brannagen]: No dragons can be assumed friendly. Most of 'em are right furious about somethin' or other, or half mad.
[Oranna]: Oh, aye, an'…well, red dragons in particular now…well.
[Sil]: Yeah, getting to that…
Ben nods reluctantly. He glances at Ismene again.
[Sil]: Right, so we got bronze, red, and green, now the other two.
Oranna looks back at Sil, nodding, and sighing sadly.
[Sil]: Number four are the blue dragons, which are all about arcane power. They got blessed by Norgannon, the magic titan, and their leader was Malygos.
Brannagen finds a new vantage point for the speech.
Ismene is still blushing a little, but she's got her eyes on Sil.
[Sil]: I really got no special knowledge on arcane, but I figure they're real smart.
[Sil]: And finally, we got the black dragons, which protect the deep places. They got blessed by Khaz'goroth, and led by Neltharion.
[Sil]: And back then, they were all good dragons, protectin' all the different bits of Azeroth.
[Sil]: So like, here's a gap, because that's the end of this book, and it's a long time till the Battle of Grim Batol. Obviously, we're not on great terms with all the dragons anymore.
Ben nods grimly. Happily grimly. And steps back to get himself some ale after all, because there is Good Stuff coming.
[Sil]: I did some research to fill in the gaps, and I think I can make sort of a bridge. So first, Neltharion kinda went mad during the War of the Ancients, and betrayed the night elves and the other dragons.
[Sil]: He renamed himself Deathwing, which is kind of a telling thing if you ask me. Their dragonflight is kinda chaos now, I think.
Ben does not point out that 'Deathwing' is a pretty metal name.
[Brannagen]: Night elves -called- Deathwing Chaos. Or their word fer it. Xaxas.
[Sil]: There wasn't a lot of information on why he turned on everybody and stuff.
[Sil]: Xaxas… kinda hard to say.
Oranna frowns at the name, and tilts her head to one side as though wondering who might know more about Deathwing.
[Sil]: I guess that was like… 10,000 years ago or something? Maybe night elves remember what happened.
[Brannagen]: I never heard anyone say anythin' about why. He's just… always been a nutter.
[Ben]: Probably shouldn'a made a nutter a Dragon Aspect?
[Sil]: Seems like folks who go in the deep places are prone to that, huh?
[Sil]: 'cept dwarves and gnomes, of course.
[Oranna]: Damn straight.
Ben tilts his head at Sil and looks thoughtful. He glances at the little tent labeled 'Grim Batol.'
Brannagen frowns.
[Sil]: He must've seemed more reliable back then
[Sil]: I couldn't find much on blues or bronzes. I guess they aren't around folks like us very much, but probably still watching out over magic and time.
[Sil]: The greens, like I said, I guess we could ask the druids. Galadhel… and I think there was some other druid girl in the company, right?
[Ben]: The cat one.
[Sil]: Yeah!
Oranna nods. "An' Galadhel's fair old, as well. Migh' know somethin' more o' it."
[Ben]: Nelly. Ain't Nelly. Something like Nelly.
[Oranna]: Oh, aye, Nilunelle.
Ismene nods. "Nilunelle."
Ben nods from Oranna to Ismene.
[Brannagen]: Errrr…. the blue ones… they're… pretty much gone.
Sil gives sad, puppy dog eyes to Bran. "Where'd they go?"
[Brannagen]: Deathwing killed 'em.
[Brannagen]: Or somethin' like.
[Sil]: Okay, so Galadhel and Nilunelle, for dragon info. Maybe. I don't know if druids talk to dragons or what.
[Ismene]: No, really?
[Sil]: Even Malygos?
Ismene looks at Brannagen, all sad now.
[Brannagen]: All but him.
[Sil]: Damn. He must be really sad.
[Brannagen]: Lost his damn mind is what! Or so they say.
[Brannagen]: So now we got two crazy dragon Aspects. Good times!
[Ismene]: Well if someone ate my entire family, I'd lose my mind too.
[Brannagen]: Damn straight.
Ben glances at Ismene. He drinks some ale.
[Sil]: Maybe he lost it in like, a grief way. So he can get better.
Oranna looks off to the right briefly, and nods at Mizzy in a way that also suggests Damn Straight.
[Brannagen]: Oh no, he's… whatever Deathwing done tae Malygos, it's… yeah, he's gone.
[Brannagen]: Has been fer ages.
[Ismene]: Poor things.
[Brannagen]: I do feel bad about the blue ones, aye. No comin' back from tha', when there's just one.
[Brannagen]: A pillar o' the world, just… gone.
Brannagen sighs heavily.
[Sil]: Yeah, unless the bronzes do something about it. Time travel and all.
Ismene perks up. "That's true!"
[Brannagen]: They… dinnae seem real inclined tae help each other, the dragonflights.
[Sil]: Huh. You'd think they'd be friends.
Ben frowns.
Oranna looks over curiously at Bran. "D'ye know if they can do tha' though? Or if they could be convinced ta help? I dinna know much about th' bronze dragons, myself."
[Brannagen]: Nobody knows, an' they en't real inclined tae talk tae us mortals about it.
[Ben]: If they can travel around in time, an' all this has already happened, you'd think if they was gonna fix it they'd have done by now.
Oranna agrees with Ben.
Sil face falls. "Yeah, didn't think of that. Time travel, man."
[Ismene]: Or maybe they know there's no reason to fix it because it gets fixed later. Or it's better that it not be fixed.
Sil considers Mizzy. "I hadn't thought of that."
Ben raises an eyebrow at Ismene and nods thoughtfully.
Ismene wrinkles her nose and grins at Sil. "Happy to help."
Brannagen stares off dreamily, lost in Bronze Dragonflight Timey-Wimey thoughts.
[Sil]: So yeah, the reds, though, they come into our next book, "The Battle of Grim Batol". Let's get started!
Sil makes a sweeping gesture to his 'Grim Batol' cloth tent on the table.
Oranna smiles and looks at the table, watching carefully just in case there are tiny dorfs in this one.
Ismene adjusts her posture so she can face the Grim Batol Cloth Tent, now $49.99 at Walmart.
[Sil]: This is a long time after the War of the Three Hammers, and the place was still kinda cursed and evil, with shadows creeping in the darkness an' stuff.
Brannagen gets a better view.
[Sil]: That was like, 250 years ago. And this story, this is during the Second War. So now we've jumped up to stuff almost in our lifetimes. *He looks at the dwarves* Or, you know, in our lifetimes.
Brannagen chuckles at Sil.
Oranna chuckles and nods. "Oh, aye, fair covered tha' one here."
Ben grins, but he's still watching the tent like he hopes there might be creeping evil shadows in it.
[Sil]: There're a bunch of orc clans I didn't talk much about - maybe we could do like an orc culture thing at some point? If it matters at all?
Oranna inhales a little, and smiles encouragingly at Sil. "Migh' no' be a bad idea ta know more about them, aye."
Ben glances at Sil inscrutably. He drinks some more ale and shrugs.
[Sil]: I know, it's orcs an' all, but there's a lot of names and stuff that I don't know much about.
[Ben]: -Is- history, I guess.
[Brannagen]: I can fill in some! Maybe.
[Brannagen]: I read a lot.
[Sil]: Anyway, the Dragonmaw orcs, led by a warlock named Nekros, found this super powerful relic somewhere, called a Demon Soul.
[Sil]: And I got no idea why Dragonmaw, unlesss their leader got ate by a dragon one time or something.
Ismene makes a face.
[Brannagen]: Aye, dunno the why of it, or if they just started callin' em that… -after- the whole Demon Soul thing, that yer about tae talk about.
[Brannagen]: 'Cause it's sure a good name for 'em now.
[Sil]: Yeah, yeah, maybe. But then in the histories they just call 'em that from the beginning.
[Sil]: So yeah. They settled into Grim Batol, cause I guess they were orcs and they liked cursed places. Then they used this Demon Soul to take over Alexstrasza, who I mentioned before.
Sil pulls aside the curtain on Grim Batol. Inside are several still orc figurines, surrounded by small egg-shaped stones.
Oranna makes a grim face, and her eyes go hard at the sight, but she says nothing.
Ismene leans forward to get a better look, her eyes wide and impressed.
[Brannagen]: Imagine havin' the power to enslave a dragon ASPECT! And… usin' it fer that instead of… somethin' else ye could do with somethin' that powerful.
[Sil]: So this is the sad part of the story. They made all her followers enslaved, and had her make baby dragons to fight.
[Sil]: Yeah, hell of a thing to do with it.
Brannagen sighs at Sil.
Brannagen shakes his head.
[Sil]: Compassion and life and all that, and now stuck in a cursed fortress, controlled by orcs, knowing all her followers and little baby dragons were gonna be forced to be Horde fighters?
[Oranna]: Aye. It was a cruel thing. A verra cruel thing.
[Brannagen]: All orcs think about is how tae use everythin' as a weapon of war.
[Sil]: Even a -Dragon Aspect-.
Ismene , horrified, looks up at Sil to confirm that this isn't just a tale or something he heard once.
[Ismene]: Really?
Ben watches the models and looks pained and solemn. Impressed, but also pained and solemn. He finishes his ale and sets the mug down somberly.
Sil nods sadly at Mizzy. "Yeah, it was in the history book. That's why the Horde fought us with red dragons. The dragons didn't want to."
Ben mutters a bad word under his breath and rubs his brow.
[Ismene]: Those poor things.
[Sil]: Anyway, by the time of the actual battle of Grim Batol, the Bleeding Hollow orcs were all up in internment camps, and the Warsong orcs were fighting still in the south.
Oranna flinches ever so slightly at the mention of the Bleeding Hollow orcs, but covers it with a sigh.
[Sil]: Or maybe just hiding or running, at that point.
[Sil]: Ironforge and Gnomeregan were okay again, but there were still the Dragonmaw orcs left in Grim Batol.
[Brannagen]: Some of 'em -still- lurkin' nearby.
[Brannagen]: Ben, you an' I weren't too far from Grim Batol the other day.
[Sil]: Yeah, some, I saw. Up in Wetlands?
Ismene looks at Ben, alarmed.
Brannagen nods.
[Ben]: Damn, can we see it?
[Ben]: I mean, not too close, or anything, sir.
[Sil]: Uhh, mnaybe sorta. There's more to the story!
[Sil]: Nekros wanted to use a dragon army to continue taking over Azeroth, but a small band of fighters went in and destroyed the Demon Soul, freeing Alexstrasza.
Brannagen cheers at Sil!
[Brannagen]: It should be mentioned that -one- o' those band was FALSTAD WILDHAMMER!
Ben smiles.
[Sil]: Oh Really?! Then we need a Wildhammer figurine!
[Brannagen]: High Thane o' the Wildhammer Clan now.
Sil looks at Jo, who shrugs.
[Brannagen]: At the time he wasnae, though, Kurdan was.
Ben glances at Oranna, because she is practically a Wildhammer.
Oranna grins and pulls out her little Wildhammer figurine.
[Brannagen]: I think.
[Oranna]: I brought mine, jus' in case.
Brannagen scratches his head. "I dinnae keep up on Wildhammer hist'ry as much."
Ben grins at Oranna.
[Sil]: Rescuer Falstad Wildhammer! *Sil says grandly, gesturing at Oranna's clockwork dwarf*
Oranna hands over the figurine for Sil to place in the EPIC BATTLE
Ben salutes the figurine solemnly.
[Brannagen]: Anyway, aye, the current Thane o' the Wildhammer Clan helped free the queen o' the red dragons!!
[Sil]: Then the rescuers and the freed dragons ripped Grim Batol apart and killed most of the orcs with fire!
Brannagen salutes the figurine gamely as well.
Ismene leans back at the mention of fire. Because there's a fire part.
[Brannagen]: The ones wanderin' the Wetlands now are jes' stragglers, really. Desperate remnants!
Sil set the little dwarf pointing towards the fortress… but at a safe distance.
Ben nudges Bran sidelong. He still wants to see some stragglers.
Brannagen grins at Ben wickedly.
Brannagen murmurs to him, "Maybe next time."
Ben smiles back and nods at Brannagen.
Jo takes that as her cue, and starts up the dragon again. It wings back into the air, and at a direction from Jo, incinerates the little Grim Batol tent, orc figurines and all.
Ismene applauds the dragon.
Oranna takes two generous steps back, hand over her eyebrows just in case.
[Ben]: -Whoa-!
[Brannagen]: HOLY LIGHT!
Sil claps excitedly.
Ben whistles and claps too.
Jo nods. "See? Breathes fire. Like a real dragon."
Oranna cheers!
Brannagen was not paying enough attention to step back, and coughs a bit from smoke.
Ben claps Bran briefly on the back.
Brannagen grins at Ben.
Sil glances guiltily at Mizzy and adds quietly, "That's why the tarp… Jo put something anti-fire on it, so we don't wreck the common room…"
Brannagen laughs at Sil.
Ismene grins, then nods her thanks. "Very polite, thank you Ms. Sparkwire."
Brannagen thanks Sil.
Oranna laughs, and steps forward again.
Jo smiles at Mizzy and nods.
Brannagen thanked Jo, but she's weirdly hard to target.
Ben nods respectfully at Jo. She's right there, Bran.
Well, she's tiny.
Brannagen just has trouble focusing on small details, okay?
Jo protests that she is not a small detail.
[Sil]: So most of the stragglers ended up in internment camps, except the stragglers as are in Wetlands, I guess.
[Ismene]: So are the red dragons still bad, then? Or are there some good ones and some bad ones?
[Sil]: I mean, I guess Alexstrasza probably likes the Alliance pretty well?
[Brannagen]: I have never seen a red dragon tha' wasnae tryin' tae kill everyone.
[Sil]: There's definitely some bad ones, still, though.
[Brannagen]: Or any type o' dragon, actually.
[Brannagen]: If there are good ones they must keep well out of our way.
[Sil]: Yeah, so if you see a red dragon, probably don't try to make conversation.
[Oranna]: I think they're more than a little touchy about folks gettin' close ta them now, s'well. Fer understandable reason, I think.
[Brannagen]: Every dragon I've ever seen, if it wasnae tryin' tae kill me, it was because it hadnae seen ME yet.
Brannagen laughs.
[Sil]: I can't imagine. Folks like us and the orcs must seem really weak to a Dragon Aspect, but then… *He gestures at the flaming wreckage of Grim Batol*
Oranna nods at Bran. "But, aye, I dinna hear much o' them goin' out o' their way ta hunt folks down. Jus'…if yer in their territory, expect them ta treat ye as though ye've come ta try ta repeat th' orcs' choice."
Ben nods at Sil.
[Brannagen]: They tend tae guard certain spots.
Ismene sighs wistfully. "I'd like to find more blue dragons. Can you imagine?"
[Brannagen]: They just -decide- somethin's their territory, an' then ye'd best keep clear from then on.
[Oranna]: S'true o' most beasts, really. If ye come inta their space, dinna expect ta be welcomed. E'en if ye think ye ha' a righ' ta be there as well.
[Ismene]: Murlocs, even.
[Brannagen]: Red ones guardin' Grim Batol, Green ones guardin' the temple of Atal'Hakkar… they're big on guardin' things.
[Ben]: I mean, people too. A lot of 'em.
Oranna nods at Ben.
[Brannagen]: But it's not like those places are dragon "territ'ry" exactly. They just… set up shop there an' then it's off limits.
[Sil]: I reckon if you just tromp into somebody's house without asking, they're not gonna be very happy either.
[Brannagen]: A place in the Hinterlands too… just… welp, it's dragons now. Stay out.
[Brannagen]: What I'm sayin' is, it en't their house, though. They just… take an interest in a spot an' squat there.
[Brannagen]: An' aren't many of us can drive em off.
[Ismene]: So? We do the same thing.
[Oranna]: Oh, aye, an' dragons in particular are more like people like tha', than beasts.
[Brannagen]: Some folks like tae hunt the wee ones, makes 'em feel big, but… those are really just babies.
Ben inclines his head at Ismene.
[Ismene]: Just wander until we find a pretty spot, then plop up a house and say it's our farmland now.
Oranna smiles at Mizzy and nods in agreement.
[Brannagen]: We're a bit easier tae displace, though.
Sil nods at Mizzy.
[Brannagen]: Dragons, once they've claimed a spot, ye'd best be steerin' clear forever.
Brannagen laughs.
[Ismene]: Only if you're bigger than us.
[Brannagen]: En't nothin' bigger'n a dragon, is what I'm sayin'.
[Brannagen]: Not the real grown ones.
[Sil]: Not even a Titan?
Ismene nods her agreement. "Just… I don't think they're any worse than we are. Or better!"
[Brannagen]: Well, they could come back an' beat up a dragon if they wanted I suppose.
[Brannagen]: But as far as what's actually here on Azeroth? Dragons are at the top.
Oranna 's face loses some of its joviality at the mention of the Titans, and she looks away, her eyes coming to rest on the tiny Wildhammer figurine.
[Brannagen]: So don't go provokin' em, is what I'd advise.
[Brannagen]: They're the boss.
[Sil]: Still, it's good to learn about 'em. What we can.
[Oranna]: Aye, good advice fer dealin' with dragons.
[Brannagen]: Oh aye! They're fascinatin' creatures!
Ben tucks his hands in his pockets and rocks on his heels again. He nods, first at Bran and then at Sil.
Brannagen 's eyes sparkle.
[Sil]: Maybe someday, a friendly dragon will come down and talk to us all! Weirder things have happened, right?
[Brannagen]: I wish they'd stayed like the Titans meant, y'know, all five flights, guardin' their aspect of creation… things'd be so much more orderly.
Oranna mutters something under her breath that sounds suspiciously like "acceptable variant" and sighs, looking back up at Sil.
[Sil]: But I wouldn't seek 'em out, because yeah.
[Brannagen]: Now it's just a big mess. With teeth. And fire.
[Ismene]: Well, I'll still take you to peek at the one I saw. If it's there.
Ben grins at Ismene.
[Brannagen]: Jes' be sure ye stay good an' hidden, lass, aye?
Sil smiles eagerly at Mizzy. "We can keep our distance. Just see it."
[Brannagen]: But curiosity's a good theng!
[Ben]: That's right. We're careful.
Ismene nods at Bran. "It's way down in the valley and you can see it from the top of the path. Sometimes."
[Brannagen]: Oooh, a high vantage point, excellent!
[Sil]: Anyway, I guess that's the end of the story. The orcs were pretty much finished after that.
Oranna nods thoughtfully. "Bargrimm's got some scopes, as well. Migh' be able ta pass those along, if ye wanted a closer look without, ah, gettin' closer."
[Brannagen]: Ben an' I will go finish what's left, right Ben?
Brannagen winks slyly at Ben.
Ben grins back at Bran.
[Ben]: Yessir.
[Ben]: An' Sil too!
[Brannagen]: Sure, if ye want, lad! Ye'll be safe with me.
Oranna walks over to the table and picks up the Wildhammer figurine, and puts it back in her pocket with a soft smile.
[Sil]: Yeah, I'd be happy to come along!
Ben makes a knife-throwing flick of his wrist at Sil and grins.
Sil grins at Ben.
[Brannagen]: Stormbreaker, ye should ask yer Wildhammer sometime what he knows about the Thane. Amazin' man, tha'.
Sil smiles at Oranna and the rescuer of Alexstrasza.
Ismene cautiously touches what is, she assumes, one of the little dragon eggs.
[Brannagen]: Bit grouchy, but a real hero!
Oranna nods at Bran. "Oh…aye, I migh'." Her face goes soft and almost sad for a moment, but she perks up and pats her pocket where the figurine is. "
Sil looks at Mizzy. "They're really just bits of stone done up like eggs."
[Brannagen]: I cannae recall who else went wi' Falstad. No one important really.
[Oranna]: An' I should tell him about tha' schematic fer th' dragon, Jo. Are ye still in Stormwind these days?
[Brannagen]: Oh, I think one o' them Windrunner elves. But tha's about it.
Ismene smiles at Sil. "They're cute."
Ben knits his brow and studies the model eggs.
Sil smiles at Mizzy. "Thanks. I hope you liked the book club."
Jo startles at being addressed, and says, "Oh, um. I have a place in Stranglethorn, actually. Booty Bay."
[Brannagen]: Well I'm off!! Thanks fer a good time as always, Sullivan!
Brannagen waves goodbye to everyone. Farewell!
Oranna nods thoughfully. "Oh, aye, an' Bargrimm's got some work down there still. If I can get him ta tear himself away from th' shop fer a few moments a' a time, he'll stop bye."
Jo smiles. "Sure. If I'm not there, just send me a note."
[Ben]: Thanks for comin', sir.
[Sil]: See you next time, I hope, Bran!
Oranna waves at Bran with a smile.
[Sil]: Thanks for coming all!
[Brannagen]: Absolutely! If I remember!!
[Ben]: Sil, it was great.
Ismene rises and looks closer at the charred remains of the Grim Batol Cloth Tent and Fire Sale.
[Ben]: An' Miz Jocoza, that dragon. Whew.
Oranna grins up at Sil. "It's th' best book club I've e'er e'en heard of, lad. Thank ye fer puttin' it together."
[Ismene]: I learned so much!
[Ismene]: And it's made me curious about so much more.
Ben smiles at Ismene.
Sil smiles at both of them. "Thanks. I really want it to be fun and exciting!"
[Ben]: They got so many books, in the Explorers' library.
[Ben]: Also there's that skull.
[Sil]: The big one? Yeah!
[Sil]: I'm not sure what to do next. Maybe trolls?
Oranna nods at Mizzy. "I'll see if I can get ahold o' Galadhel. He can…wander a good deal, but if he knows anythin' more about th' dragon in the Emerald Dream, I'll be askin' a' th' least." She chuckles.
[Sil]: Let me know if he tells you anything. I'd be real interested.
[Ben]: Trolls could be cool. I ain't know much about 'em.
[Sil]: Me neither, but there's a whole book about troll wars in there.
[Oranna]: Oh, trolls? *she laughs* Tha' one I could ask about Bargrimm fer ye, make no mistake. Wildhammer's ha' quite a bit o' first hand knowledge o' tha'.
[Ismene]: Or what the difference in between all the orc clans. Are they extended families or is it more like army divisions…?
[Ben]: Oh, huh. I'd've thought 'clan' was family, but yeah. That's a good one.
Ben scratches his jaw.
Sil nods at Mizzy. "I can look for books on that. I just… I know orcs're kind of a touchy subject for lots of folks."
[Ben]: Maybe he'll come to one of these? Mr Flintspark, I mean?
[Sil]: I'll make sure to invite him!
[Ismene]: And the Tauren, too. They seem so nice. It's hard to understand why they joined the orcs.
Ben nods at Ismene.
Oranna grins and shrugs. "He's gotten righ' focused on settin' up th' shop these days, but, aye, I've been tryin' ta entice him ta come."
[Ben]: Yeah, my aunt don't get that either. Doesn't.
Ben smiles at Oranna.
[Ben]: You lemme know if you an' him still want a hand with that, Miz Oranna.
Oranna nods at Ben. "Any time ye want ta come, ye've got an open invitation there, Ben. He needs all th' help he can get righ' now."
[Ben]: Oh, hell, I'll come by tomorrow, then. Ain't mean to leave him short.
Ben hears himself too late and hopes no one thinks that was a dwarf joke.
Oranna smiles softly. "I should probably get back ta him, actually. No' sure he's had time ta take th' bear out fer her walk and romp yet today."
Ismene holds up one of the little speckled stones. "May I have one, Sil?"
[Sil]: Oh, sure! Souveniers are becoming a book club thing. *He grins*
Oranna laughs and pats her pocket.
Ismene looks pleased and studies the little stone egg up close.
Oranna waves to the others cheerfully. "Careful when yer out with those dragons, aye?"
[Sil]: Glad you came, Oranna!
Ben nods respectfully at Oranna.
[Ben]: Yes ma'am.
Ben waves at Oranna.
[Sil]: We'll be very careful!
Sil waves at Oranna.
[Ben]: I'll give you a hand cleanin' this up, Sil.
[Sil]: Thanks, Ben. *He smiles at Mizzy.* We'll leave it all clean.
Ben nods gravely at Ismene.
Ismene laughs. "You better. I know who's to blame."
Sil laughs. "Yeah, we can't get away with it, for sure."
[Ben]: An' I'll take the ale away, too.
[Ben]: Wouldn't like a heavy drinker to get hold of it.
[Sil]: Yeah, good thing nobody like that's in here.
Ismene wrinkles her nose at Ben and sticks out her tongue like the dignified priestess she is.
Ben grins back at her and crosses his eyes. And then immediately looks innocent.
[Ismene]: The other option is to make it so strong that everyone passes out after two mugs.
[Sil]: And Mizzy, let us know when you're free to see the dragon? Maybe when you're in between paperworks.
Ben nods at Sil.
[Ismene]: Oh, Duskwood's not far. Whenever you're free. It's easy to find, once you find the start of the path up. Lots of wolves, though.
[Ben]: We wa- were just there yesterday.
[Ben]: Not to the dragon, though.
Sil nods.
Ismene nods. "I was, too! We must've just missed each other." She shivers. "That poor land. It made me ill to walk around."
[Sil]: Yeah, real oppressive there. Darker'n it should be.
Ben knits his brow and nods at Mizzy, looking concerned. "'S funny, Sil and I were talkin' about how it didn't seem like a kind of place for you."
[Sil]: You all right, with all the… stuff walking around the graveyards?
[Ben]: Just - real ugly, there. Real sad.
Ismene shudders again. "I know but… I can't just not do anything now that I've been there."
Ben smiles warmly.
[Ismene]: People should be able to rest once they're dead, but something there just keeps… keeps *pulling* them up.
[Sil]: Helping 'em rest, in the end.
Sil nods at Mizzy. "You've got a good heart."
[Ismene]: Not smashing in heads doesn't include not smashing in the heads of dead bodies.
[Ben]: Maybe you come with us next time. You can keep us in a piece. Two pieces.
[Sil]: Yeah, we could make an expedition of it.
Ismene nods happily. "I even spoke to the priests at the temple, and one of them taught me a spell to hold the undead still."
[Sil]: Oh really? That seems useful.
[Ismene]: Well, they move once you smack them around, but until then it works well.
[Ben]: Miz Callis, I reckon I would very much like to see you smash in a dead thing's skull. Bet that's a hell of a thing.
[Ismene]: There's really not anything there, you know. It's just really dark magic making the bones move.
[Ben]: Necromancy. Yeah, we talked about that.
[Sil]: I guess Jo and I'd best head out, now we got everything cleaned up. Let me know when you want to head down to Duskwood!
Sil does not, quite, wink at Ben.
Ismene wave to Sil. "Bye! Thank you for the show, Miss Sparkwire."
Ben nods respectfully to Jo. He gives Sil a jaunty wave.
Jo smiles. "Any time! I love making this sort of stuff."
Jo grabs her hearthstone and vanishes.
Ismene misses the wink, and takes the jaunty wave in stride.
Sil waves to both of them, as he heads out.
Ben looks around the now-tidy space.
Ismene looks around too. Oh dear. No one's here.
Ismene nervously moves things on the table. Just to move them.
Ben shifts his weight. "I'll, uh, get that cask, then, and leave you be, Miz. I'm glad you had a good time."
[Ismene]: Um. I got the flowers this morning.
Ismene peeks up at him.
Ben looks surprised, and innocent. Flowers? But the quirk of a smile at a corner of his mouth gives him away.
Ismene laughs, dispelling her embarassment. "As if I don't know your handwriting."
Ben grins back at her and rubs the back of his neck. "Oh. Well, I was thinkin' of you. Because, y'know. The wildflower tea an' all."
[Ismene]: I'm glad your aunt liked it.
[Ben]: She did. And she wasn't kidding when she said she don- doesn't like tea. So.
[Ben]: But I'd be surprised if she didn't. It's good tea.
Ismene trails a finger over the table and chews on her lips. "You look nice in blue. I didn't think you would, so I didn't get you a blue shirt."
Ben 's ears color. He looks down at himself. "Oh. Thanks - very much. I did, though, uh -" He shows her the cuffs of the shirt he wears beneath. They're embroidered with wheat.
Ismene 's smile blossoms anew. "You're going to wear it out. I'll just have to make you more of them. Maybe one with swords."
Ben grins at her, gap-toothed.
[Ben]: I did tell you I like that dress, didn't I? I do.
Ismene looks down and swishes the skirts. "Thank you. I need to embroider it, too. Maybe not apples. I do a lot of apples."
[Ben]: Well. Apples are nice. Sweet. But wildflowers would suit, too. Or, y'know. Whatever you like.
[Ismene]: Would you like swords?
Ben considers this, and grins. "I would, probably."
[Ben]: I mean if you did it, I would.
Ismene finally laughs a little. "This is silly. Why do I get so awkward lately? I feel like I'm tripping over myself all the time."
Ben jams his hands in his pockets and rocks back a little. "Aw. You ain- aren't awkward, Miz. Seem fine to me."
[Ben]: If I'm makin' you -feel- awkward, though, you tell me, yeah? I wouldn' like to.
[Ismene]: Oh, no! It's not you, exactly. Well it is. Except not really! I mean I don't want you not to come around or to avoid me, that wouldn't be very nice. I'd not like that at all. Oh! But don't just come around because I… You know, you can come. Around.
[Ismene]: Whenever. This is HQ!
Ben nods thoughtfully and looks around the room. "Sure is. Well, okay. I might come around. Or, y'know."
Ben steps over to hoist the cask from the floor onto his shoulder again.
[Ben]: I'll let you be for now, though, yeah?
Ismene eyes the hoisting. My goodness, does she eye it.
[Ismene]: Uh huh.
Ben nods respectfully and sketches another little salute at her.
[Ben]: You be good.
[Ismene]: Oh! Yes, you too…. *She turns to watch him go.*